Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Parking Lot Shoeprints
Dewey Square Pylon & Bent 38
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Alresford Spy Toilet
This Public Bathroom in a Sleepy English Village Was an Epicenter for Cold War Espionage
1 day ago
Manhattan Well
The Manhattan Well: How Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton United to Solve a Murder Mystery
2 days ago
Beneath downtown Minneapolis, Schieks Cave has surprisingly warm groundwater, evidence of a subterranean heat island.
Schieks Cave Below Minneapolis Contains a Lake of Warm Sewage
3 days ago
Athenaeus described various kinds of Greek drinking vessels, like the deep, rounded skyphos and wide, flat kylix.
The Ancient Greek Guide to Succeeding at Dinner Parties
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Nigeria Ogbunike Caves

Ogbunike Caves

Legend has it these caves were created by a deity called Ogba, who is said to live inside the winding subterranean caverns.

Ogbunike, Nigeria

Added By
nararevy7
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Ogbunike Cave   Amaifehenry1 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Ogbunike Cave   Amaifehenry1 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Ogbunike Cave   Capital noblevital / CC BY-SA 4.0
  Dotun55
  Edimehsam / CC BY-SA 4.0
  Edimehsam / CC BY-SA 4.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Said to be discovered by a man named Ukwa, from the Umucheke family of Ifite-Ogbunike, the Ogbunike Cave is a system of caverns nested within a sizable subterranean chasm, entwined by a confusing maze of winding passageways. Legend has it that the caves were created by a deity, Ogba, who they believe lives within.

The walkway into the valley where the caves are located is made up of about 317 steps. When they arrive, visitors are greeted by water dripping down from the rocks, which is rumored to have healing properties. For that reason, tourists often come with bottles or gallons to collect water. Pastors and native doctors also come to collect water to perform supposed miracles.

Inside the caves, hundreds of bats hang from the ceilings. There are also pythons and crocodiles, and it would be impossible to traverse without a tour guide.

There is an annual festival called Ime Ogbe celebrated in commemoration of the discovery of the caves. 

Ogbunike Caves is part of the Tentative list of Nigeria in order to qualify for inclusion in the World Heritage List. 

Related Tags

Mythology Legends Subterranean Caves

Know Before You Go

Visitors are required to remove their shoes before entering the caves, and one cannot leave from the same entrance they came in. Women are also not allowed in the caves during their menstrual flow

Community Contributors

Added By

nararevy7

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

April 29, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Ogbunike Caves
Ogbunike
Nigeria
6.179135, 6.859349

Nearby Places

Awhum Waterfall and Cave

Ohum, Nigeria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Nigeria

Nigeria

Africa

Places 15
Stories 6

Nearby Places

Awhum Waterfall and Cave

Ohum, Nigeria

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Nigeria

Nigeria

Africa

Places 15
Stories 6

Related Stories and Lists

21 Caves That Offer Otherworldly Experiences

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Cave of Zeus.

    Kuşadası, Turkey

    Cave of Zeus

    This Turkish cave boasts some rather bizarre associations with the King of Mount Olympus.

  • Cavern.

    Marianna, Florida

    Florida Caverns State Park

    The only Florida state park with publicly accessible caves.

  • Penn’s Cave Exit

    Spring Mills, Pennsylvania

    Penn's Cave

    Sail through this subterranean show cave that is home to a legend that would go on to name nearly everything around it.

  • Shadow Room

    Zagreb, Croatia

    The Museum of Lost Tales

    A fantastical display of Croatian folklore, mythology, and myths.

  • Tōno is known for its kappa folklore.

    Tōno City, Japan

    Kappabuchi Pool

    Visitors are encouraged to fish for water goblins at this haunted pool.

  • The stele is largely neglected and forgotten today.

    Sendai, Japan

    Kashikobuchi Spider Stele

    A long-forgotten homage to an eldritch, sassy spider yōkai that was once worshipped here as a god.

  • The figure at the heart of the Chapel

    Hastings, England

    Saint Clement's Caves

    A former smuggler's haven houses "The Chapel" and its mysterious carvings.

  • The grave of the Hel-horse.

    Roskilde, Denmark

    Grave of the Hel-Horse

    According to legend, this is the burial place of a mythical three-legged death omen horse.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.